Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey issued a statement Thursday defending his notorious Twitter and Facebook posts from the day before - which happened to be the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks - when he said President Barack Obama was trying to "ally" with al-Qaida in Syria's civil war.

"Every September 11 since that tragic Tuesday in 2001 has been a day of remembrance," the Blountville Republican's statement said. "We remember those who died, those who served and those who carry on. But we must also remember those who attacked us and why. The Syrian rebels(') connections to Al-Qaeda are well-established and well-known. I am proud to stand with leaders like Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Rand Paul against coming to the aid of our enemies, enemies who continue to hate our country from afar as they kill Christians in their own country."

Ramsey then offered eight "links of interest," including stories on comments by Cruz and Paul, Republicans from Texas and Kentucky, respectively.

- Michael Cass

Sara Kyle encouraged to run for governor

Supporters of Sara Kyle are working in overdrive to push her to the top of the Democratic ticket in 2014.

Kyle, a former director of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority who is weighing a run for governor, was given a hero's welcome at the Tennessee Democratic Party's Jackson Day Dinner on Sept. 7. Former party chairman Chip Forrester whipped up the crowd into a "Run, Sara, Run" chant shortly before U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, the keynote speaker, took the stage.

Reporters crowded around Kyle afterward to see if she would take up the challenge. She demurred, but that was probably just for show. A few days later, Kyle's backers were back at it, putting out a press release about her upcoming appearance next week at the Estes Kefauver Dinner in Chattanooga.

They appear to have learned from the 2012 primary, when dark horse Mark Clayton upset an unenthused and inexperienced Park Overall for the party's nomination. Like Kyle, Overall had a moment in the spotlight at Jackson Day, but she later complained of insufficient backing from the Democratic establishment.

- Chas Sisk

Democratic Party losing personnel quickly

Shortly after the Jackson Day Dinner, the Tennessee Democratic Party was hit by a wave of resignations, one that suggests inner turmoil for the organization.

The party announced Monday that Executive Director Kevin Teets had stepped down, offering no explanation other than the cliche that Teets would "pursue new opportunities." Teets joined the organization only last spring.

Later last week, office manager Allison Jones and deputy finance director Cortnye Stone put in their notice. That will leave the party with only two full-time staffers besides Chairman Roy Herron: Brandon Puttbrese remains as communications director, and Jake Dunavant remains as director of fundraising.

State Executive Committeeman Jerry Maynard, who himself resigned as Finance Committee chairman earlier this month, declined to criticize Herron, but he conceded that there have been some differences over party management.

- Chas Sisk

Barry receives early, unusual endorsement

It's not every day a Republican talks up the skills of a Democrat running for office, especially with words such as "pragmatic," "most qualified," "centrist" and "vision."

But former Davidson County Republican Party chairman Tom Lawless is doing just that, telling The Tennessean he's supporting Metro Councilwoman Megan Barry in the 2015 mayoral election, a nonpartisan race.

Lawless said Barry isn't the liberal she's often made out to be, despite her efforts to enact a living wage for Metro employees and protect them from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

"Out of the whole cast of characters out there, she's the most qualified," said Lawless, a bankruptcy attorney who lives in Oak Hill.

Barry said she appreciates Lawless' support, and she's working to pull in other Republicans, too.

- Michael Cass

Lobbyist argues against charter slowdown

In an email that's longer than most New Yorker magazine profiles (just kidding, but it is a robust 1,160 words), lobbyist James Weaver told Metro Council members last week why they should reject a non-binding resolution seeking a moratorium on the approval of new charter schools in Nashville.

Weaver, who typically represents developers and other big business interests, wrote Monday that the resolution's passage would be "gasoline to the fire" raging between charter school supporters and opponents.

The council indefinitely deferred the legislation Tuesday night. That was hours after Metro Schools Director Jesse Register raised the specter of closing schools or taking other cost-cutting steps to deal with budget issues partially caused, according to some school board members, by the proliferation of charters in recent years.

For his part, Weaver, representing the nonprofit Tennessee Charter School Center, says charters "simply do not create ANY material additional spending for the system."

- Michael Cass

Political one-upmanship

Jeff Yarbro and Jason Holleman, the young Sylvan Park attorneys competing for the Democratic nomination in next year's state Senate District 21 election, spent part of Tuesday trumpeting the East Nashville political bigwigs who would be holding fundraisers for them in the coming weeks.

Yarbro, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat three years ago, got things started with an announcement that Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors - who presides over the Metro Council - and five council members would co-host his fundraiser, which is scheduled for Wednesday at the home of Scott Ridgway and Jon Glassmeyer.

Holleman also happens to serve on the council, so the news didn't look good. But he bounced back a few hours later with his own announcement: The biggest politician to come out of East Nashville in recent years, former Mayor Bill Purcell, "will open up his East Nashville home" on Oct. 8 for a Holleman fundraiser.

Purcell, who was mayor from 1999 to 2007, and Holleman are attorneys in the same law firm, Jones Hawkins & Farmer. Yarbro works at Bass Berry & Sims, one of the city's biggest law firms.

- Michael Cass

Maggart makes splash at Jackson Day Dinner

As much attention as Sara Kyle got at the Jackson Day Dinner, she might not have been the most watched woman in the room.

That title probably went to former state Rep. Debra Maggart. Despite being deep in enemy territory, the former House Republican Caucus chairman appeared at ease, though she acknowledged that few people might have expected her in such a place.

"The Apocalypse is coming," she joked.

Maggart attended the dinner on behalf of the Tennessee Medical Association, for whose political action committee she now raises money. But even with that explanation, her presence at the biggest Democratic event of the year seemed to suggest the speculation that she might try to win back her seat next year has been wrong.